Admin

Archive for the ‘Family’ Category

Summer happened the week of Memorial Day and July 17th! Seriously it was very overcast and broke a fifty year record of consecutive days of precipitation. The other two months were no better. Still, it was a great summer.

Beverly Lake I love watching nature at the cabin. Our resident trumpator swans, nested, laid eggs, hatched and had the cutest sniglets. We were excited they came by to visit at two days old. We also had a family of ducks and loon. As always, we had an occasional bald eagle fly over and very often rainbow trout were jumping. The tulips sprang up first from the bulbs Michael had planted the year before. Sprouting more slowly were the peas, lettuce, cabbage and broccoli that Michael planted. My raspberries are now three years old. In August the eight foot bushes yielded delightfully yummy red and golden berries.

My children visit. Michael more than visited. He lived here for the summer, his third. He was working for Princess-Holland America cruise ships rail cars pulled by the Alaska Railroad.

Scott visited for a few weeks and it was great to share times with him at the cabin, he was there for the summer solstice. Scott, Michael and I were roasting hot dogs and made S’Mores at midnight, in the sun. We also visited Whittier, a port in beautiful Prince William Sound and Hatcher Pass, an old gold mine. Scott helped “clean the forest”. Michael bought a chainsaw so the three of us made firewood from the fallen trees.

Christina visited too and we enjoyed talks, picking peas, driving to Seward in Resurection Bay, seeing former schools and homes, waterskiing, tubing with Michael. We will never forget the hike/overnight trip Michael took us on! What a beautiful Fall day it was with the cool, crisp air and yellow, orange and red ground cover. (we were above the trees.) We were in the Talkeetna Mountians with very interesting terrain. The hike started out with a smooth path, but quickly changed. We started ascending faster, then climbed over a “rock garden” with boulders the size of Volkswagons where you have to decide each step. Easy for Michael, but Christina and I were wondering what is next? Where is Michael taking us? It was well worth it and I would love to go again. We camped beside Reed Lake. Michael took good care of us. He pitched a two man tent for the three of us, boiled water to add to the dehydrated dinner. It was chilly, but oh well. The stars were spectacular. I’d climb again twice as far just to see the stars again! We also enjoyed the wild blueberries, streams, waterfall and spending time together. Michael may have been frustrated with the laggers, but thanks Michael.
Scott and Christina hadn’t been “home” for over fifteen years. I enjoyed their visit very much. Maybe they will bring their families next year.

Working for Princess-Holland America was really a test for me with the long 16 hour days and new culture of working with mainly kids in their 20s. We would go north one day, spending the night in the interior of Alaska and turning around and doing it in the south direction the next day. It got easier and more enjoyable as I got used to the job and better at it. I was a Rail Guide. Each rail car had it’s own bartender and rail guide. The cars were gorgeous dome cars which made the spectacular beauty of Alaska easy to see all around. The railroad is 500 miles of wilderness mostly with rivers, mountians, glaciers, bridges, a canyon, historic spots and very few cities. The highlight for the guests are the wildlife. We see moose, swans, eagle, occasionally a bear, whales and mountian goats. Seeing Mt. McKinley is always the highlight and only happens 20% of the time in a good summer and maybe 2% this summer. When it is “out” it is so majestic and indescribably beautiful…wow!

The Fam Having family in Alaska is wonderful. We got together many times. There are a lot of birthdays in the summer to celebrate. When Scott, Christina and Kendra each came we celebrated. And the usual holidays were a good reason to get together.

Each summer has a highlight and hands down it was seeing my kids enjoying each other!

On a gorgeous, sunny Alaskan summer morning June 25, 1972, Scott entered this world making his parents very proud. His mother wanted to have her baby in Alaska to share with her family so at 7 months pregnant they came back to Alaska and spent the summer. His first home was an apartment in his grandparents home. Grandpa John, Grandma Connie, Uncles Dave, Doug, Roy and Ken all enjoyed the new baby boy.

In the Fall the new family moved to Pomona, CA. The house was circa 1940. Scott’s dad made him a cradle that swung from the frame. His mother had a back carrier to she take me on walks with her. They visited relatives a lot because they liked to show off Scott. There was his Dad’s parents, Granny and Gramps, Gramp’s mother, Granny’s mother and dad, Aunt Florence, Mother’s Grandma Yarbrough, and other’s aunts; Myrtle and husband Wes, Vera and Mae.

His dad worked in Commerce City and went to school at Chaffey College evenings. They moved into a duplex with a small yard. They had a garden, went on walks and waited for brother to come. When Scott was 15 months old he got his first brother, Brent. Scott could climb out of his crib, climb up on the screen door to open the handle and was a very able toddler. He gave his mother a big scare when he wondered out the back gate into the alley, then out of sight to someone else’s yard. His mom and dad had bikes with carriers on the back so they could take Brent and Scott on rides.

Jan 1975 The family moved to Flagstaff, AZ. Now his dad is going to college full time at Northern Arizona University. They lived on campus in married housing. The apartments all faced a courtyard so there was a sidewalk that made a big rectangle that Scott loved to ride his little scooter that he pushed with his feet. It had big fat hard plastic wheels.

Jun 1975 Mother said let’s go to Alaska for the summer so they drove 4,000 miles to get there. They picked up Uncle Dave from college in Idaho. They drove 24 hours a day. Scott’s family went to the parks, on a train trip to Whittier and loved throwing rocks into the ocean. Dad waited for a job on the Alaska Pipeline that he didn’t get until the end of summer, so he stayed on and his mother brought Scott and Brent back via CA where they visited relatives and purchased a van. His mother attended more classes at NAU so the family could keep their housing. His dad returned in November.

1976 Scott got a sister, Christina. Scott had a red bike with training wheels. He quickly learned how to ride and wanted the training wheels off and asked his mom to take them off. She was busy so he got the wrench and did it himself. He was playing on an electrical box cover and fell 4 ft. and broke his collar bone. His dad went back to Alaska to work for the summer. His mom had a preschool for Scott, Brent and the other 4 year olds in the complex. They went on field trips, had snacks, played games and had lessons. One of the more memorable field trips was to the fire station where Scott got to sit in the chiefs seat on the truck.

1977 His dad graduated from NAU so they moved to Oregon. The family loved it there in the country of Grants Pass. The neighbor had a goat that Scott learned how to milk. He turned 5 there. We weren’t there but six weeks when his Dad got a call that a job in AK working for the IRS came through. The family went to San Fransisco for his dad to have training, then drove to AK, stopping a few days in Olympia to visit Granny and Gramps who were building their home.

Scott started kindergarten at Chugach Elementary, Anchorage, Alaska, the same school his mother started at. They lived in Grandma Connie’s house across the street from the school. Scott wore out the front of his jacket from sliding down the snow packed hill on his stomach. He transferred to Tudor Hills Elementary because the family moved across town to build a new home.

1978 Scott got a new brother, Ken. His parents built a home. One day Scott and his brother, Brent were helping and got into some tar so they were “fired”. Scott and Brent spent a lot of time with Bucky Bingham who lived at the end of the street. Tim Lethin was also a great buddy. Scottie Pond was a favorite too.

1979 Was a very good year. The family had a very large carpeted playroom complete with a rope swing. They had a large, white, fluffy dog named Sugar. Pa, Scott’s grandfather, brought 4 bunnies over so even though here was a bunny for each child Scott learned all about the care of bunnies. They got a trampoline when they weren’t popular, so lots of kids came to play. Scott and his brother Brent played hockey several nights a week. That was before indoor arenas. Brrrr.. Scott was in Cub Scouts. His Mom was a den leader with Dorothy Burgan. Scott was always very responsible and helpful, true to being a firstborn.

1981 Brought another brother, Michael. The family built another home across the street from the one they were living in. Scott is playing soccer now. He also thinks he is old enough to drive a car which he took for a short joy ride.

1983 Fall, Scott’s family moved to Palmer. They named the house and property Springer Stables. It was situated at the end of Outer Springer Loop with ten acres, two barns and out buildings. The former owner raised Quarter horses so the family decided to continue with boarding horses and haying the adjacent 120 acres of fields. They had 18 boarding horses. He attended Sherrod Elementary. The kids had free rein with a mile square to ride bikes, visit the river, ponds and lots of friends. At home they enjoyed the trampoline, jumping into the hay, swinging off the barn roof with pulley, Scott no doubt dreamt up. His family didn’t hook up the TV so the kids played together; board games, cooking, and family projects. Once a week the family had family night where they enjoyed time together to share ideas, an activity, snack, lesson and song. Scott always took his part happily. His family took a trip to Hawaii. They went to the tiny island of Molokai where they flew kites and enjoyed the locals and just hung out. The first day that they went to Honolulu on the island of Oahu they hung out at the Lagoon between the Hilton and the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately, Scott laid on his raft, on his stomach without moving, except to paddle in the water. He had unspeakable blisters the length of the back of his legs. He needed emergency treatment and ended up with bandages and in a wheel chair since he couldn’t walk, poor Scott. The family went to the Polynesian Culture Center where he seemed to have fun in his wheel chair.

1984 Scott had beautiful Ms. Smart for 6th grade. He learned a poem which he still can recite today. The family took a trip to California, returning to minus 30 degree weather.

1985, Dec 19 left with Dad and ended up in Florida.

1986 Mom and Ken visit Scott and Brent in Florida.

1987 June, he and Brent returned to Alaska.

1988 Swim team

1989 June moved to Boulder, CO. Scott, Ken, Michael and Mom flew to Seattle, picked up the car that had been shipped and they drove to CO via CA. Then they went on a motorhome trip to Western states. At each stop Scott got the bikes out of the motorhome storage and assembled them for all. He attended Fairview High School.

1990 Graduated and returned to Alaska, Spent Christmas with grandparents in WA and decided to come back to CO. He returned to Alaska so he could drive his car down the highway. His car broke down on the isolated Alcan Highway in 40 below weather. He was luckily rescued, but had to wait for two weeks for a ride out to “civilization”.

1991 Now in Boulder he worked at TrepkeTire and enjoyed driving his black Camaro with T-Tops.

2014 – Moved back to Alaska. Worked for Lynden Freight in Anchorage, then got a coveted job on the Trans-Alaska pipeline. Coveted because he got lots of vacations which he hadn’t had the luxury of with his other jobs. In the summer he lived at the family cabin on Beverly Lake.

2015 – Michael and Kirsten visit Alaska. Many day trips.

Went to brother Michael and Beth’s wedding

2016 – Motorcycle trip. Broke toe in a motorcycle accident on Hatcher Pass. Couldn’t go back to work for many months because he couldn’t wear a shoe. Got a job delivering mail to the post offices between Palmer and Talkeetna.

2017 – Big treat! Son Erick, Rae Rae and grandson, Brayden came for a visit. They played at the cabin, went camping and on day trips.

Fire which started in the house occupied by John Longacre, electrician for the Katalla Company at camp 1, on Wednesday morning, April 1909, about 1 o’clock, destroyed the building and then spread to the hospital which was also burned to the ground, with a portion of its furniture, fixtures and appliances.

Mr. Longacre’s escape from death was almost miraculous, and was probably due to the cries of the house cat, which roused him from sleep to find the house a mass of smoke and flame.

Mr. Longacre was alone in the house. Mrs. Longacre having gone to Martin Point to join a party which was going on an outing next day to Softuk bar (to fish). He retired about 11 o’clock and was soon sleeping soundly. About two hours later he was partially aroused by a crackling sound, but not fully. Just then the load cries of the cat awakened him completely. He jumped out of bed and made his way to the outer room, which was filled with smoke, while flames were licking up ceiling and walls. He tried to reach a window but found himself again in the bedroom where even the bed was then on fire. Dropping to the floor to escape instant suffocation, he crawled toward the window and fortunately, this time he reached it, just as the wall separating the two outer rooms fell down. Nearly suffocated he fell against the single pane of the lower window, breaking it and then tumbled through the opening to fresh air and life. Getting to his feet he tried to shout but he had inhaled too much smoke and could not. Clad only in his night clothes, and sockless, he make his way to Red Christensen’s house and gave alarm. By the time that Mr. Nathan and others reached the place the hospital building was in the grip of the flames and attempts made to save it, and it was futile, was soon consumed.

It is believed that the fire caught from a terra cotta flue in the ceiling. After escaping from the house Mr. Longacre remembered that he had recently installed a gasoline stove in the kitchen at the rear of the house, and the fire not having reached it, he succeeded in rescuing it intact.

Mr. and Mrs. Longacre lost all their household effects, clothing and other belongings. A portion of the hospital equipment had been packed for shipment to Cordova, and taken to the dock, but a large amount was lost. The hospital was built by the of Katalla Company in 1907, and with equipment, which was an excellent one, probably cost $25,000. The entire plant of the company is covered by insurance.